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From General Drone Operator to Taking Over Aerial Ashes: Why Finding the Right Niche Changed Everything
From General Drone Operator to Taking Over Aerial Ashes: Why Finding the Right Niche Changed Everything When I first started as a drone operator, things looked promising. I picked up work, enjoyed flying, and like many others, believed that being a generalist commercial drone pilot was a viable long-term path. It didn’t take long to realise the problem. As drones became cheaper and training more accessible, everyone was suddenly a drone operator. Prices dropped, competition exploded, and being a “do-everything” drone pilot became less sustainable by the month. At the same time, I had a full-time day job. I wasn’t looking to build a huge operation overnight — I wanted a small, reliable drone business I could run alongside my main career, ideally using my days off. The Problem with Being a Generalist Drone Operator Like many pilots, I tried to cover multiple services:
* A bit of filming * A bit of inspection work * Occasional ad-hoc jobs
But generalist drone work suffers from three major issues:
1. Race-to-the-bottom pricing 2. Clients who don’t understand the value 3. No differentiation
I knew I needed a niche, but I had no idea what that niche should be. Discovering a Truly Unique Drone Business Model Everything changed when I came across what is, without exaggeration, the most unique and well-designed drone business model I had ever seen. Aerial Ashes specialised exclusively in ashes scattering by drone — a service that:
* Solves a real emotional problem * Cannot be easily copied * Requires professionalism, care, and trust * Has built-in regulatory and operational barriers
From a business perspective, it was exceptional. From a human perspective, it was meaningful. I got involved, recognised the long-term potential immediately, and ultimately bought the business. Building Aerial Ashes While Working Full-Time Crucially, I did not quit my day job. I continued working full-time and ran Aerial Ashes on my days off. What started as a “hobby business” quickly proved itself. In the first year alone, operating part-time, the business generated over $85,000, purely alongside my main employment. That was the moment everything clicked. This wasn’t just a good niche — it was:
* Scalable * Profitable * Defensible * Emotionally valuable to clients
From Personal Success to Helping Others Once it became clear how strong the model was, I realised something else: If this works so well for one operator, it can work for others too. That insight led to opening the model up to other drone pilots — giving them a clear niche, proven systems, and a way out of the generalist trap that dominates the drone industry today. The Bigger Lesson: You Don’t Need to Be the Best This journey taught me a simple truth: You don’t need to be the best drone pilot. You don’t need the fanciest showreel. You don’t need to undercut everyone else. You need the right niche. Taking over Aerial Ashes wasn’t about flying more — it was about flying with purpose, structure, and a business model that actually works. And for me, that made all the difference.
* A bit of filming * A bit of inspection work * Occasional ad-hoc jobs
But generalist drone work suffers from three major issues:
1. Race-to-the-bottom pricing 2. Clients who don’t understand the value 3. No differentiation
I knew I needed a niche, but I had no idea what that niche should be. Discovering a Truly Unique Drone Business Model Everything changed when I came across what is, without exaggeration, the most unique and well-designed drone business model I had ever seen. Aerial Ashes specialised exclusively in ashes scattering by drone — a service that:
* Solves a real emotional problem * Cannot be easily copied * Requires professionalism, care, and trust * Has built-in regulatory and operational barriers
From a business perspective, it was exceptional. From a human perspective, it was meaningful. I got involved, recognised the long-term potential immediately, and ultimately bought the business. Building Aerial Ashes While Working Full-Time Crucially, I did not quit my day job. I continued working full-time and ran Aerial Ashes on my days off. What started as a “hobby business” quickly proved itself. In the first year alone, operating part-time, the business generated over $85,000, purely alongside my main employment. That was the moment everything clicked. This wasn’t just a good niche — it was:
* Scalable * Profitable * Defensible * Emotionally valuable to clients
From Personal Success to Helping Others Once it became clear how strong the model was, I realised something else: If this works so well for one operator, it can work for others too. That insight led to opening the model up to other drone pilots — giving them a clear niche, proven systems, and a way out of the generalist trap that dominates the drone industry today. The Bigger Lesson: You Don’t Need to Be the Best This journey taught me a simple truth: You don’t need to be the best drone pilot. You don’t need the fanciest showreel. You don’t need to undercut everyone else. You need the right niche. Taking over Aerial Ashes wasn’t about flying more — it was about flying with purpose, structure, and a business model that actually works. And for me, that made all the difference.